Sinokubonga Nkala
Patrick Chitumba, [email protected]
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa is today set to commission the US$41 million newly rehabilitated 43km Shurugwi-Mhandamabwe Road at the Mukandapi Business Centre in Shurugwi, Midlands Province.
This critical infrastructure project will boost connectivity, facilitate trade, and stimulate economic growth in the region, ultimately enhancing the living standards of the local community.
This initiative is part of the Government’s broader plan to enhance key infrastructure in line with the Second Republic’s National Development Strategy One (NDS1).
Under the Second Republic, the Government is prioritising economic development and growth.
The project’s completion is expected to create jobs, stimulate business growth, and improve accessibility, making it a vital catalyst for increased transport movement along the southern corridor.
The Shurugwi-Mhandamabwe road is a vital infrastructure project that will significantly enhance connectivity, trade, and economic growth in Zimbabwe and the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) region.
As Sadc Chairman, President Mnangagwa’s commitment to regional development and cooperation is evident in this initiative, which will not only benefit Zimbabwe but also contribute to the region’s economic integration and growth.
The road serves as a crucial link between Beitbridge Border Post and major towns like Gweru, Kwekwe, and Chinhoyi, facilitating trade and commerce.
The road’s connection between the Midlands and Masvingo provinces demonstrates the Government’s progress in developing its road infrastructure, benefiting motorists and downstream businesses along the highway.
The poor condition of the Shurugwi-Mhandamabwe road had led to motorists diverting through Zvishavane town, negatively impacting local businesses.
However, the Government intervened by partnering with Road Trackers Construction (RTC) to rehabilitate the road.
The project involved upgrading, widening, and constructing the road, which is a vital link between Beitbridge Border Post and major towns like Gweru, Kwekwe, Chegutu, Kadoma, Chinhoyi, Karoi, and Chirundu Border Post.
The Midlands community is equally excited about the business opportunities that will be unlocked by the rehabilitation of the highway.
Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona said President Mnangagwa is delivering on his promise of leaving no one and no place behind in the development agenda.
“I am extremely excited that our iconic leader His Excellency the President Cde Dr ED Mnangagwa is living the talk of leaving no one and no place behind. A good road is an economic enabler, and this road tremendously shortens the distance from Beitbridge to Chirundu and vice versa,” he said.
Minister Mhona said his ministry will continue with its mandate of ensuring that the country’s major roads are trafficable and navigable.
“We are not only going to end on trunk roads but will also be revisiting other locations so that at the end of the day the road network across the country will be enhanced,” he said.
Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Owen Ncube said the rehabilitation of the road marked the commitment by the Second Republic to modernise and industrialise the country in pursuit of an upper-middle-income economy by 2030.
“Shurugwi-Mhandamabwe Road had become a concern to the leadership, motorists, and Shurugwi residents, but because of a listening President we have, it has been rehabilitated. The reconstruction of the road confirms the New Dispensation’s development approach of leaving no one and no place behind,” he said.
Minister Ncube said the rehabilitation of the Shurugwi-Mhandamabwe Road will help accelerate economic development in the Midlands including contributing to the provincial GDP growth.
“As the shortest and most cost-effective route to international markets via South Africa and Mozambique, the road is crucial for corporates and mining giants operating in the province,” he said.
Minister Ncube stressed the importance of modernising the country’s road network, saying it is critical in facilitating tourism, trade, and investment.
To achieve this, Minister Ncube urged local authorities to prioritise infrastructure repair and upgrade, acknowledging the road’s strategic importance.
“We are targeting the modernisation of our road network as it is a key economic enabler that facilitates the growth of tourism, trade, and investment. I urge local authorities, in particular, to move with speed to repair and upgrade their infrastructure,” he said.
Under the Infrastructure, Utilities and Digital Economy cluster, Zimbabwe’s economic blueprint, the NDS 1 prioritises the completion of road rehabilitation projects.
The main aspirations of NDS1 include infrastructural development as a key enabler in attaining Vision 2030 of having an upper middle-income economy.
NDS 1 notes that “a road can become an economy” and in this regard, the focus is on the development of feeder roads into communities as a way of developing underdeveloped remote areas.
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